Patriots-Rams Stock Watch: Polk disappoints again in Week 11 loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye threw the ball 40 times in Sunday’s Week 11 game against the Los Angeles Rams, and yet his two rookie wideouts — Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker — were targeted zero times.
The Patriots used a second-round pick on Polk and a fourth-round pick on Baker in the 2024 NFL Draft. These young wideouts were supposed to come in and give Maye some help in the passing attack. So far, they’ve done more to hurt the Patriots than help, especially Polk.
The University of Washington product has not tallied multiple receptions in a game since Week 4. Polk has made three catches on 15 targets, along with several drops, over the last six games.
Polk’s lackluster performance Sunday wasn’t the only takeaway from the Patriots’ 28-22 loss to the Rams.
Here are Phil Perry and Tom E. Curran’s “Stock Up” and “Stock Down” selections for Week 11.
Stock Up
Kendrick Bourne, Wide receiver
Bourne was active for last week’s game against the Bears but he didn’t play a single snap. He was far more involved versus the Rams, and that decision paid huge dividends for the Patriots. Bourne caught five passes for a team-leading 70 yards and a touchdown.
Curran: “I’m going to go Kendrick Bourne. Five targets, five catches, including a touchdown. He bounced back from a game in which he was a DNP-CD.”
Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper, Tight ends
Maye continues to look for his tight ends in key spots. Henry led the team with six catches Sunday. Hooper caught all four of his targets. Hooper has 99 receiving yards over the last two games. He tallied just 137 in the previous nine matchups combined.
Curran: “Ten catches for Hooper and Henry combined for 98 yards. A lot of tough catches in tough situations — bailout-type throws that Drake Maye put on them and they were able to make the plays. The missed block by Henry not withstandig, we’re gonna go stock up on those two.”
Stock Down
Ja’Lynn Polk, Wide receiver
Polk wasn’t targeted once Sunday, and he now has one or fewer catches in six consecutive games. The 2024 second-round pick also has committed a lot of penalties this season, including a costly false start in the second half against the Rams.
Perry: “I hate to do it because he’s landed in this category multiple times this year, but Ja’Lynn Polk is the first one who comes to mind. When you have fewer targets, catches and touchdowns than the starting left tackle (Vederian Lowe), and you have a critical error in a critical situation on what looked like a trick play, that has to get you in the stock down category.”
Tyquan Thornton
Thornton was released by the Patriots over the weekend. The No. 50 overall pick (second round) in the 2022 draft finished his Patriots career with just 39 receptions for 385 yards and two touchdowns in 28 career games. That’s what we call a draft bust.
Curran: “I’m going to go with Tyquan Thornton, who has been released. He gets a late stock down, stock way down, stock off the market. Business closed.”
